A great grass, this is one of the more popular cereal crops. Apart from it's use as a grain, farmer's often plant it on their land in the winter to keep the soil loose for next spring. Some caution has to be taken with the plant however, as it is one of the main sources of the Ergot (Claviceps) fungi, and as such, can cause ergotism if an infected batch is ingested. Rye purchased for ingestion at stores does not have this danger, due to inspections.